Conveyer



., )ET AL Jan. 19,1943.

J; T. DUFFY, JR

CONVEYER 81 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed Sept. 16, 1939 fill# B NM mA .mw T N E M R E F..

mvzu'rons i J. T..DUFFY JR. AND RJAoKSoN ATTORNEY Jan.`19, 1943.V J. T. DUFFY, JR., ETAL 2,308,593

` CONVEYER i original Filed Sept. 1e, 1939 a shets-sheet 2 0*) N n: uJ z 9. o *'E E nNvENmRs m m j 'J'.T. DUFFY JRAND E JAGKSON E g BY U 1L j ATTORNEY Jah. 1 T DUFFY, JR" ETAL I l CONVEYER Original Filed Sept, 16, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 mvENToRS l J, T. DUFFY JR. .AND R JAcKso'N ATTO RNEY Jan. 19, 1943. J. T. DUFFY, Jafra-AL.

CONVEYER Driginal Filed Sept. 16, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 v INVENTORS 1.1: DUFFY .m A No n JACKSON Ar'rolwrui( Jan. 19, 1943. y.1. T. puFFY, JR., ETAL f 2,308,591

-CONVEER l originali Filed sept. 1e, 193s' s sheets-sheet s m .n A

@riginal Filed sept. 1e', 193s s sheets-sheet 7 INVENTORS JZT DUFFY JR AND R JACKSONv MBI@ Q.

" Jan. 19, 1943. J, T DUFFY, JR, ETAL 2,308,591 A CONVEYER original Filed sept. 16,"1959' will l INVENTORS .1.1: DUFFY .m AND e JACKSON Patented Jan. 19, 1943 assignors to Read MachineryV C0., Inc., York, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application September 16, 1939, Serial No. 295,203. Divided and this application February 13, 1941, Serial No. 378,736

(Cl. 198--Z04) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved bread making apparatus and is a division of the invention shown in our application filed in the United States Patent Office September V16, 1939, Serial No. 295,203, issued as Patent No. 2,255,282.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for manufacturing bread in which the dough is handled by automatic machinery from the mixer, through several stages to the oven, baked, and the bread is then adapted to be delivered to slicing and wrapping devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for making bread in which the bread is manufactured in the form of a continuous strip.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for making bread in the form of a continuous strip in which there are means for conveying the dough through the apparatus and guide means arranged in parallel spaced relation longitudinally above the conveyer for confining the dough to a predetermined wid-th.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for the manufacture of brd in a continuous strip` of the above type, in which there are means for laterally shifting the position of the guide means with relation to the conveyer.

`Other objects, features, and advantages. of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description to follow, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive are diagrammatic views, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a continuous bread manufacturing plant embodying the present invention;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sec tion of the dough forming mechanism shown in Fig.2;

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section taken' on the line 'I-'I of Fig. 6i

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 8-7-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a vertical. transverse section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a plan of the structure shown in Fig. 9, showing also the operating mechanism for the adjustable side guides; and

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of 'the operating mechanism shown in Fig. 10.

By the improved invention bread is adapted to be manufactured in a continuous strip in the manner to be hereinafter described in detail, and in describing the invention we have shown an apparatus which has, in actual practice, been found suitable for the purpose.

In carrying out the invention the raw ingredients are delivered to the usual mixing equipment, indicated at I I, Fig. 1.

From the mixer II, the dough is discharged into the hopper I2 of an extruding machine I3;

The extruding machine I3 has a spiral conveyor I4 mounted upon a shaft I5, which extends through one end of the housing of said machine.

The shaft I5 may be operated by any suitable mechanism. In the present instance the shaft I5 has fixed thereto a gear I6 which may be operatively connected in any desired manner to a suitable source of power adapted to impart rotation to the shaft I5 at the desired rate ofA speed.

The discharge end of the extruding machine is formed with a converging mouth I'I.

The purpose of the extruding machine I3 is to form the dough in a continuous strip of uniform cross section, the strip of dough'thus formed being discharged on to the belt I8 of a conveyer, for fermentation.

If so desired, the upper portion of the extruding machine I3, as well as the mixer II, may be enclosed in a housing t9.

The conveyer I8 may be in the nature of an endless belt conveyer supported at each end by suitable pulleys or wheels 20 and 2l, the wheel 2| being operatively connected to an electric motor 22, or other suitable source of power, by means of a belt or chain 23 mounted, respectively, on pulleys or sprockets 24 and 25 fixed to the motor shaft 26 and the pulley or wheel shaft 2i, as shown in Fig. 2. The motor 22 is adapted to operate the belt I8 in the direction of the-arrow, Fig'. 1, at the desired speed.

The conveyer I8 is enclosed by a suitable housing 28. said housing providing a fermentation chamber 29 for the apparatus.

I'n order that the atmosphere within the chamber 29 can be controlled, suitable humidity and temperature controls 3l! andA 3|, respectively, are provided. These controls may be operatively connected with the chamber 29 by means of ducts or pipesl 32, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Since the strip of unfermented dough is discharged from the extruding machine I 3 on to the conveyer I8 near one end of the chamber 29, said conveyer i8 and said fermentation chamber 2.9 should have sufficient length to enable the desired amount of fermentation to take place in the dough during the movement of the dough from shafts 36 and 31 journalled in a housing 38 ar- I ranged on the structure of the apparatus adjacent to the conveyer wheel 2|.

While any number of strips of dough may be made with the apparatus, in the present instance the device is shown as being constructed so that two strips can be manufactured at one time.

Therefore, two strips of dough are adapted to be carried on the conveyer |8 from two extruding machines I3 to the forming mechanism 33.

Each roller 34, 35 is formed with a pair of spaced arcuate grooves 39 and 46, the grooves 30 of both rollers alining with each other so as to provide an orifice through which one strip of dough passes, and the grooves 43 alining with each other so as to provide a similar orifice for the second strip of dough.

The rollers are adapted to be rotated at the desired number of revolutions per minute. In the present instance the shaft 36 is shown as provided with a sprocket 4! which is operatively connected to a sprocket 42 on the shaft 21 by a chain 43 so that when the conveyer I8 is operated, the roller 34 will also be operated.

In order to transmit the rotary motion 0f the roller 34 to the roller 35, but in the reverse direction, the shaft 36 of roller 34 has mounted thereon a gear 44, which gear is in meshing relationship with a. similar gear 45 on the shaft 31 of roller 35.

The strips of dough on the conveyer I8 are directed towards the grooves 39 and 48, respectively, of the rollers, by funnel-shaped or conical chutes 46 and 41, respectively. These chutes terminate in the upper portion of the housing 38 directly over the grooves of the rollers, as shown in Fig. 6.

The purpose of the forming mechanism 33 is to work the strips of dough and to mould the dough into the desired shape and cross section.

After the strips of dough pass through the forming mechanism 33, they are directed by tubular guides 43 and 48 on to supporting means 56, which supports the dough strips while they travel through the nal steam proofer 53 and oven 54.

Any suitable material may be employed for the dough supporting means 59. In actual practice, wax paper has proven good for this purpose, since the dough will not adhere thereto. The wax paper can be delivered from rolls having scores lengthwise of the paper. The paper after leaving the rolls, passes through suitable means, indicated at 5|, Fig. 2, which means are adapted to bend or fold the wax paper lengthwise, so as to form the supporting means 58 with vertical side walls 52, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In this way the supporting means is U-shaped or of channel form in cross section so that the dough will be supported on the bottom and both sides. On the other hand, if it is desired to produce what is known as Pullman slices of bread by l the improved process, then in lieu of the U- shaped paper strip supporting means 58, a tubular paper member may be employed, such tubular member being rectangular in cross section. Or any other suitable element may be used for supporting the strip of dough during the proofing and baking steps, in order to impart to the baked products the desired shape and size.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the steam proofer 53 comprises an elongated structure having insulated walls, top and bottom to provide a chamber 15 in which is mounted a conveyer 55 which carries the strips of dough on the supporting means 58 through the steam proofer.

'I'he conveyer 55 may be in the form of an endless belt conveyer supported at each end by suitable pulleys or wheels 56 and 51, the wheel 51 being operatively connected to an electric motor 58, or other source of power, by means of a belt; or chain 59 mounted, respectively, on pulleys or sprockets 60 and 6| xed to the motor shaft 62 and the shaft 63 of the wheel 51, respectively, as shown in Fig. 4.

The conveyer 55 is entirely enclosed by the walls of the steam proofer 53, the end of the conveyer having the wheel 56 being located beneath the guides 48 and 48 and the end of the conveyer having the wheel 51 being located adjacent to the end of the steam proofer 53 which Lils connected to one end of the oven 54 (see Fig.

In order that the atmosphere within the steam proofer 53 can be controlled, suitable humidity and temperature controls 64 and 65, respectively, are provided (see Fig. 3). These controls may be operatively connected with the chamber 15 by means of ducts or pipes 66.

The steam proofer 53 and the oven 54 are connected end to end, but since the temperature within the oven 54 is considerably higher than the temperature within the steam proofer, a dividing wall 61 is constructed, as shown in Fig. 4.

The oven 54 comprises an elongated structure having comparatively thick insulated walls, of well known construction.

Extending into the oven 54 are burners 68 or other means for controlling the amount of temperature within the oven.

Disposed within the oven 54 is a conveyer in the form of an endless belt 69 supported at each end by suitable pulleys or wheels 10 and 1|, the Wheel 1| being operatively connected to an electric motor 12, or other source of power, by means of a belt or chain 13 mounted, respectively, on pulleys or sprockets 14 and 16, fixed to the motor shaft 11 and the shaft 18 of the wheel 1|, respectively, as shown in Fig. 5.

The conveyer 69 is enclosed by the walls of the oven 54, the space between the end of the conveyer having the wheel 10 and the adjacent end of the steam proofer conveyer 55 being provided with a horizontally disposed plate 19 which is disposed in the same plane as the upper horizontal portions of said conveyers so as to support the members 50 and the strips of dough therein when such strips move from the steam proofer 53 into the oven 54.

For the purpose of supporting the side walls 52 of the dough supporting means 50, stationary side guides 88, 8|, 82 and 83 are provided. 'I'hese guides extend the full length of both the steam proofer 53 and the oven 54, from a point adjacent to the members 48, 48 to the oven outlet or discharge opening 84.

The guides are disposed in pairs, one pair for each strip of dough, the guides 88 and 8| constituting one pair, and the guides 82 and 83 constituting the other pair, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

In order to provide means for adjusting the distance between each pair of guides so that the apparatus can be used for making bread oi various widths, suitable adjusting mechanism is provided in the means for supporting the guides.

At intervals throughout the length of the steam proofer 53 and the oven 54, pairs of horizontal rods 85 and 86 are mounted in the side walls of the structure in spaced relation above the conveyers 55 and 69.

Depending from the rods 85 are hangers B1 and 88, and depending from the rods 8S are hangers 89 and 98.

The lower end of the hanger 89 is connected to the guide 88.

Likewise, the lower ends of the hangers 81, 98 and 88, are connected to the guides 8l, 82 and 83, respectively.

The upper portion of the hanger 89 is formed with an internally threaded collar 9| which is mounted on a screw threaded portion 92 of the rod 86.

The upper portion of the hanger 81 is formed with an internally threaded collar 93 which is mounted on a screw threaded portion 94 of the rod 85.

The hangerA 98 is also formed at its-upper portion with a collar 95 which is internally threaded for engagement with the screw threads 92 of the rod 86, and the hanger 88 has an internally threaded collar 96 which is,mounted on the threaded portion of the rod 85.

In order to rotate the rods 85 and 86 so as to move the hanger 89 towards and away from the hanger 81, and the hanger 98 towards and away from the hanger 88, the extremities of the rods 85 and 86 which are disposed on the exterior of the structure, each have mounted thereon a gear 91 and 98, respectively, as shown in Figs. and 11, said gears having their teeth in meshing relationship.

A crank 99 is Xed to the end of the rod 88.

Operation of the crank 99 will elect rotation i of the rods in the opposite directions, and since the collars are held by the guides from turning, the hangers 89 and 98 will be moved in one direction and the hangers 81 and 88 will be moved in the opposite direction, thereby moving the i guides 88 and 8| and 82 and 83 towards or away from each other, depending upon the direction of rotation imparted to the crank 99.

Fro'm the oven 54 the baked strips of bread are adapted to be delivered on to a conveyer,

not shown, for cooling, slicing and wrapping.

From the foregoing it will be understood that we have provided an improved apparatus for making bread in a continuous strip, in which the dough is conveyed through chambers equipped with temperature and humidity controlling means from the time the dough is mixed until the baked product leaves the oven, and in which no human hands are required to handle the product at any stages of the operation. The oven 54 is adapted to bake the bread in the usual time, and in order that the operation will be uniform, the conveyers I8, 55 and 69 should be operated at the same rate of speed by their respective operating mechanisms. dough is conveyed through the several chambers 29, and 54 at the same speed, such chambers should be constructed of suiicient length to permit, rst, the dough to ferment properly in the Since the fermentation chamber 29, and, second, to be proofed in the desired manner in the steam proofer chamber 15.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

i. In combination with a conveyer adapted to convey material thereon in a direction lengthwise thereof from end to end of the conveyer, a pair of substantially parallel guide members arranged lengthwise of the conveyer and located in spaced relation above said conveyer for confining the material on the conveyer to a predetermined width, a pair of screw threaded horizontal rods arranged transversely of the conveyer in spaced relation above said guide members, a hanger depending frorn each said transverse rod and connected to a guide member for supporting the same, each hanger having an internally screw threaded collar mounted on the threaded portion of each rod, a gear mounted on an end of each threaded rod, said gears having teeth in meshing relationship so that rotation of one gear in one direction effects rotation of the other gear in the opposite direction, and a crank arm fixed to one of said threaded rods for operating said gears whereby rotation of the pair of threaded rods by said gears in opposite directions imparts lateral movement to the hangers and the guide members carried thereby simultaneously in opposite directions so that the guide members are moved either towards each other or away from each other depending upon the direction in which the crank arm is turned.

2. In combination with a conveyer adapted to convey a plurality of strips of material thereon in a direction lengthwise of the conveyer, two pairs of substantially parallel guides arranged lengthwise of the conveyer in parallel spaced relation to each other, said guides each comprising a pair of bars adapted to conne a strip of material on the conveyer to a predetermined width, a pair of screw threaded horizontal rods arranged transversely of the conveyer in spaced relation above said guides, a hanger depending from each said transverse rod and connected to a guide, said hangers being adapted to support the guides in spaced relation above said conveyer, each hanger having an internally screw threaded collar mounted on the screw threaded portion of each rod, each rod having the collars of two hangers mounted thereon in spaced relation, said two hangers operatively connected to one threaded rod supporting the guides at one side of each of said pair of guides, said two hangers operatively connected to the other threaded rod supporting, respectively, the bars at the other side of each of said pair of guides, a gear mounted on an end of each threaded rod, said gears having teeth in meshing relationship so that rotation of one gear in one direction effects rotation of the other gear in the opposite direction, and a crank arm xed to one of said threaded rods for operating said gears whereby rotation of the pair of threaded rods by said gears in vopposite directions imparts lateral movement to the hangers and to the guides carried thereby simultaneously in opposite directions so that each pair of guides are moved either towards each other or away from each other depending upon the direction in which the crank arm is turned, to thereby increase or decrease the distances between each pair of guides, respectively.

JAMES T. DUFFY, JR. PAUL JACKSON. 

